Strip brush making machine



April 13, 1965 J. 1. cARLsoN ETAL STRIP BRUSH MAKING MACHINE 8 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 27, 1957 oooooo ZdJa' W 04% INVENTORS Jo/znffarlson mes/{g I 7 I W April 13, 1965 J. l. CARLSCSN ETAL STRIP BRUSH MAKING MACHINE Filed May 2'7, 195'? 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 April 1965 J. CARLSON ETAL 3,178,230

STRIP BRUSH MAKING MACHINE Filed May 27, 1957 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 ukl HikgHluu unuu April 13, 1965 J. I. CARLSON ETAL 3,178,230

STRIP BRUSH MAKING MACHINE Filed May 2'7, 195'? 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTORS.

J6 72 77/ ICQJZSO 77/- jfzraldizmesflgellbm Qy/M 71%,

April 1965 J. CARLSON ETAL 3,178,230

STRIP BRUSH MAKING MACHINE Filed May 27, 1957 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 4% id 2 la l 1L 22w 1 Hum; i

INVENTORS.

April 13, 1965 J. l. CARLSON ETAL STRIP BRUSH MAKING MACHINE 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 Filed May 27, 1957 FIIIIIIII'L INVENTORS. LfOhWICbIY'ZSOYW, Haroldlimes gellbn/ MM,

H J Q TWP 0% a bl 3 a 1' @WW v H5 g a 9% mm a 1 l m m a 4 a a United States Patent 3,178,238 STRIP BRUSH MAKING MAQHINE John I. Carlson, Geneva, and Harold James Hazelton, Batavia, Ill., assignors to Carlson Tool & Machine Company, a corporation of Illinois Filed May 27, 1957, Ser. No. 661,697 13 Claims. (Cl. 300-2) This invention relates to a brush making machine and in particular to a machine for making continuous strip brushes.

It is a principal object of this invention to provlde a new and improved strip-brush making machine.

Another object is to provide such a machine arranged to form a continuous brush on a metal base strip, having new and improved means for picking and delivering bristles for attachment to the base strip.

A further object is to provide, in such a brush making machine, new and improved means for stocking and feeding bristles to the picking mechanism.

Still another object of the invention is to provide, in such a brush making machine, a unidirectionally operating picking mechanism and an associated bristle agitating means for maintaining the supply of bristles in a condition suitable for eflicient picking.

Yet another object is to provide a new and improved rotatable-disc picker having a novel tuft receiving notch for picking and transferring suitable tuft groups from the supply means to a conveyor.

Another object is to provide such a picker arranged to transfer the tufts to an adjacent, unidirectionally moving conveyor, the direction of movement of the tufts during transfer being substantialy parallel to the direction of movement of the conveyor.

A still further object is to provide, in a brush making machine, new and improved means for discontinuously tufting the base strip.

Another object is to provide such discontinuous tufting means responsive to the longitudinal positioning of the base strip to effect discontinuous delivery of tufts to the means for securing the tufts to the base.

Yet another object is to provide new and improved adjustable crimping means for constricting the base strip about the mid-portion of the tufts to effect a securing of the tufts to the base, which means may be functionally correlated with the arrangement of tufts on the base strip to alter the degree of constriction of the base strip in con formity therewith.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a brush making machine having new and improved tuft trimming means.

A yet further object is to provide a brush making machine having new and improved means for separating as desired the continuous brush strip into discrete portions.

Other features and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a brush making machine embodying the invention taken from the front side of the infeed end of the machine;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view thereof taken from the rear of the machine;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view thereof taken from the front side of the delivery end of the machine;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary side elevation of the tuft supply and tuft picking means;

FIG. 5 is a transverse section taken approximately along the line 55 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is an end elevation of the mechanism of FIG. 4, looking toward the infeed end of the machine;

FIG. 7 is a horizontal section taken approximately along the line 77 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged, fragmentary horizontal section taken approximately along the line 88 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged, fragmentary edge view of a portion of the picker bar disc showing a tuft picking notch thereof;

FIG. 10 is a side view thereof;

FIG. 11 is a transverse section view thereof taken approximately along the line 1111 of FIG. 9;

FIG. 12 is a side view of a modified form of notch;

FIG. 13 is an edge view thereof;

FIG. 14 is an end elevation of the cutting means;

FIG. 15 is an enlarged, fragmentary view of a com pleted strip brush with portions thereof broken away;

FIG. 16 is an enlarged vertical section of the brush taken approximately along the line 16-16 of FIG. 15,

FIG. 17 is a horizontal section taken approximately along the line 17--17 of FIG. 15;

FIG. 18 is a schematic representation of the control means for effecting discontinuous tufting of the brush;

FIG. 19 is a fragmentary view of a modified form of tuft delivery means including mechanism for utilizing the bristle agitator as means for effecting discontinuous bristle delivery;

FIG. 20 is a top plan view of the crimping means; and

FIG. 21 is a fragmentary, top plan view of the trimming means showing a preferred disposition of the knife relative to the brush strip.

In the exemplary embodiment of the invention as dis closed in the drawings, a continuous strip brush making machine M is seen to comprise generally a frame F on which is carried, at the infeed end of the machine, means generally designated U for forming a brush backing strip bar 10 into a generally *U-shaped cross-sectional configuration. Such forming means are well known in the 'art and require no further description here.

From the forming means U, bar 10 is delivered to adjacent the delivery position of apicker means generally designated P, where bristles 11 are delivered in accurately predetermined groups or tufts to overlie the strip bar 10 with their ends extending laterally on either side thereof. Positioned above the picker means P is a bristle stocking and supply means generally designated S arranged to deliver bristles to the picking means. Supply means S is arranged to deliver the bristles continuously when desired, including during the time additional quantities of bristles are being inserted into the supply means to replenish the stock therein.

The U-shaped bar 10 is arranged with its U-shaped configuration opened upwardly as it passes the picker means P and the bristles are delivered over the bar, the free' ends of the bristles being engaged by a substantially horizontal conveyor chain means B acting to carry them along with the strip bar and hold them in place across the top thereof. The movement of the bristles as they pass from the picker means P is substantially parallel to the direction of movement of the bar 1! and conveyor means B thereby precluding skewing of the bristles on bar 10. While the bristles 11 are picked in groups, or tufts, having predetermined numbers of bristles, when the bristles are discharged from the picker P they are uniformly distributed over bar 10 in a substantially continuous atrangernent. Thus, a prime purpose of the picking of accurately determined quantities of bristles in each tuft is to control accurately the bristle density in the completed brush.

By means of an inserting device I, the bristles are next caused to be folded about their center and pushed into the space between the legs of the U-shaped strip bar to have their free ends extend generally vertically upwardly from the bar. The inserting device further acts to lay a core wire 12 over the bent mid-portion of the tufts 11 within the strip bar ill for positively retaining the bristles in association with the strip bar. As the strip bar, with the inserted bristles and core wire, advances toward the delivery end of the machine, the strip bar is next engaged by a crimping means C which acts to clamp the upper free ends of the U-shaped strip bar more tightly together, thereby to constrict the free ends around the bent midportion of the bristles and the core Wire and secure positively the bristles to the strip bar.

While the upper ends of the bristles are generally aligned subsequent to the securing thereof to the strip bar, it is desirable to trim the upper ends to remove any stragglers and otherwise provide an improved, even brush surface. For this purpose, a trimming means T is mounted on the frame F adjacent the delivery end of the machine, which includes a new and improved knife arrangement for elfe'cting the desired trimming while allowing a substantial rate of advance of the formed brush.

While the formed brush is manufactured in a substantially continuous strip, it may be desired to separate the continuous brush into shorter, discrete portions. A cutting means K is provided at the delivery end of the machine for effecting this separation. Because the continuous strip brush is moving with a substantial, constant velocity, the cutting means K is arranged to accommodate the longitudinal movement of the formed brush during the time that it is cutting the brush transversely thereof. To this end, cutting means K is pivotally associated with the frame F so that it may swing in the direction of advance of the brush while it is cutting the brush.

The various operations performed by the brush making machine must be correlated,'and it has been found to be desirable to provide separately controlled drive means for different portions thereof. Thus, for example, the forming means U and crimping means C may be driven independently from the picker means P and the trimmer T. The specific arrangement of the drive means generally designated D will be described more fully hereinafter. I While the formed brush, as described above, may be continuously tufted, as seen in FIGS. 1 to 3, means G (FIG. 18) may be incorporated in the machine for causing the strip brush to be discontinuously tufted, or to have periodic gaps in the tuft'structure. Such gaps may be provided, for example, where the machine is manufacturing brushes having handle portionswhich require the omission of bristles. Several methods of effecting the discontinuous tufting may be embodied in the machine and two such means are described in greater detail hereinafter, one such means acting to elfect periodic stoppage of the picker P and another such means acting to effect periodic discontinuation of the supply of bristles from the supply means S to the picker means P.

Reference now being had more particularly to FIGS. 4 through 13, the structure of picker means P and bristle supply means S will be described in greater detail. As described above, the bristles 11 are stocked in the supply means S and are guided by the lower portion thereof to the picker means P which delivers them in predetermined tufts to the conveyor chain means B to overlie the U-shaped strip bar 10. Supply means S comprises a vertically elongated means '13 comprising a fixed sidewall 13:: of an opposite, adjustably spaced movable sidewall 13b, and a horizontally adjustable rear Wall 130. The front portion of the magazine is left open whereby the bristles 11 may project outwardly therefrom, as best seen in FIG. 3. While the specific construction of the maga- 'zirre may vary depending on the type of bristles used with the machine, an illustrative example of such a magazine, where the bristles comprise Tampico fiber, is one wherein the height of the magazine is approximately 2 feet, the depth (from the rear wall 130 to the front open end) is 2 Inches to 12 inches, and the spacing between the side Walls is 1 inches to 3 /2 inches. Preferably, the surface of each of the walls is made smooth as by chrome plating.

Means are provided on the magazine for applying a constant pressure on the bristles stock therein to urge the bristles downwardly and through the lower open end to engage the picker means P. As it is desirable to continue operation of the brush making machine, even during a renewal of bristles stock in the magazine, these means are arranged to apply suitable pressure at all times. For this purpose, two bristle engaging elements are provided, namely a horizontally movable plate 14 and a vertically swinga-ble finger member 15. Plate 14 is pivotally carried on a vertical rod 14a slidably journalled on a bifurcated arm 14b secured to fixed side wall 13a adjacent the upper end thereof. Rod 14:: is urged longitudinally downwardly by means of suitable weights, such as weights 14c removably carried on a support collar 14d secured to the rod adjacent its upper end. Plate 14 is preferably T-shaped, as shown in FIG. 7, with a first arm portion 14c insertable, through the front open side of the magazine, horizontally into the bristle supply therein. A sec ond outer arm portion 14; extends oppositely to arm portion 14c and serves as means for grasping the plate and swinging it about the axis of rod 14a to insert or remove the arm portion 14a relative to the magazine.

The second bristle urging means, finger member 15, comprises a T-shaped element pivotally secured at one end 15a of the stem thereof to a slide block 15b slidably carried on a vertically extending guide 150 fixedly secured to the movable side wall 13b. Weights 15d are removably carried on a post 15a secured to the slide block and serve to urge the slide block, and the finger member 15 carried thereby, downwardly.

Finger member 15 is provided with a first arm portion 15f which is removably inserted through a vertically elongated slot 13d in movable side wall 13b to project into and across magazine 13. A complementary slot 132 may be provided in fixed side wall 13a to accommodate the outer tip of arm portion 15 and assure that the arm portion extends fully across the magazine. For use in manipulating finger member 15, the finger member is provided with a second arm portion'15g which extends outwardly away from the magazine to permit ready grasping thereof. To permit ready insertion of arm portion 15 through the bristle stock in the magazine, the arm is preferably sharply pointed with its upper edge 15h extending angularly downwardly when the finger member is inserted into the magazine, as seen in FIG. 4. Each of plate 14 and finger member 15 may be relatively thin.

As two bristle urging means are provided, it is possible to maintain at least one thereof in urging engagement with the bristle supply at all times while the other of the urging means may be removed from the magazine and moved upwardly to bear on the top of any newly inserted bristle stock. For example, when the plate 14 has reached the position shown in FIG. 4, it would be desirable to remove it from the magazine, move it upwardly by sliding rod 14a through arm 14b, place additional bristle stock in the magazine above finger arm portion 15 and reinsert plate arm portion 14c into the magazine above the newly inserted stock material. Weights 146 would then act to urge rod 14a downwardly and cause plate portion 14s to bear against the top of the bristle supply in the magazine. Subsequently, when the bristle supply has been used up to the point where finger member 15 has moved to adjacent the lower end of the magazine, the finger member may be pivoted so as to withdraw portion 15 from the magazine, additional stock placed above the then superiorly positioned plate 14, and finger member 15 reinserted through the magazine to bear on top of the newly inserted stock. It should be noted that whenever one of the urging members is removed from the magazine, the other member maintains urging action on the bristle supply so that there is an urging force which may act to deliver the bristles to the picker P at all times.

Picker P comprises an improved, unidirectionally operating mechanism which is arranged to deliver bristles at high speed in accurately predetermined groups or tufts. Heretofore, reciprocating means have been used extensively for picking the bristles. Such reciprocating means have several serious disadvantages, including a limitation on speed of operation because of the inertial forces involved in rapidly reversing the direction of movement of the device. Further, each such reciprocating structure is provided with only a single picker element. The known unidirectional picker bars have been found to be impractical due to the fact that the bristles tend to bunch or pack at the point of delivery from the supply means and thus, improper operation has resulted. The instant invention comprehends a picker member which is unidirectional in operation to permit high speed picking and which is arranged with a plurality of notch picking elements. Further, an associated bristle agitator is provided which precludes bristle compacting by loosening periodically the bristle supply adjacent the picking member.

The picking means comprises a disc 16 mounted on a shaft 17 for rotation in a vertical plane in alignment with the strip bar it The disc is provided with a plurality of peripheral, circumferentially spaced notches 15a adapted to pick a tuft comprising predetermined number of bristles from the bottom of the supply in means 13 and to carry the picked tuft approximately 180 from the point of picking to a point of delivery. The tuft is released at the point of delivery onto the strip bar and between upper chains 18 and lower chains 19 of the conveyor chain means B. Disc 16 is arranged so that conveyor chain B and bar 1t; are substantially tangential to the disc at the point of tuft delivery, whereby the tufts are delivered from the disc onto the bar and chains while moving substantially parallel to the direction of movement of the bar and chains. This, as discussed more fully in connection with the description of the conveyor B, causes the bristles to remain substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal extent of the bar it and precludes the skewing of delivered bristles.

To retain the tufts properly in the notches 16a during travel between the picking and delivery position, a retaining plate structure it? is arranged circumferentially around the disc over this portion of the notch travel. The retaining plate structure comprises a pair of spaced outer plates 23a and 29b, as best seen in FIGS. 6 and 8, extending closely adjacent the periphery of the disc. An intermediate spacer plate Ztlc serves to space the outer plates and is provided with an arcuate edge portion adjacent the disc periphery but spaced somewhat radially outwardly therefrom whereby the disc periphery may be inserted partially between the outer plates, as best seen in FIG. 8. This allows the outer plates to bear slidably against the projecting portions of the tufts 11 carried in notch 16a and positively retain the tufts in the notch during the travel thereof to the delivery position. A stripper plate Ztld is disposed intermediate outer plates 20a and 2% adjacent the lower or guide end 13h of magazine 13. Stripper plate Zild is biased, by means of suitable springs 253e, to bear against the periphery of disc 15 and serves to disengage any bristles not properly inserted in the notch 16a as the notch passes the lower end of the magazine, thereby to effect a transfer from the stock supply into each notch of only the desired number of bristles. it has been found that such a separating means is desirable to overcome the natural tendency of the bristles to be picked by the notches. A generally similar biased plate structure 2% may be provided at the delivery end of the retraining plate to balance the stripper plate structure, if so desired.

In addition to the above described improved stripper plate operation, it has been found that by proper design of the notches 16a, further improved accuracy and speed in ickin may be obtained. A notch configuration which has proved to be particularly well suited for use with bristles such as Tampico fibers, is one shown in FIGS. 9 through 11. The notch comprises a generally radially extending trailing edge wall 21 and a bottom wall 21:: extending generally perpendicular to trailing wall 21'. The leading edge Wall of the notch is compound and comprises a. transverse portion 21b inclined forwardly and outwardly from bottom 2111. From the point 210 of intersection of wall portion 21b with the periphery of the disc the sides of the disc are beveled to form complementary beveled surfaces 21d and Zle defining the forwardly portions of the leading edge wall. Thus, a portion of the trailing edge wall 21 is effectively exposed to be contacted by the bristles. Further, it has been found that with such a notch configuration, inherent yielding nature of the tufts causes them to first droop or bend around the periphery of the disc and into the space laterally outward of the beveled surfaces 21d and 21a as the disc notch moves in the direc tion of the arrow as seen in FIG. 10. Thus the bristles to be picked by the notch at this time have a tendency to separate somewhat from the remaining bristles in the supply even before the main portion of the notch, defined by Wall portions 21, 21a, and 21b reaches the selected bristles. As point 21c passes the selected bristles, the bristles are positively urged into the notch and separation from the nonselected bristles is completed. As discussed above, stripper plate 20d serves to complete the separation of the nonselected bristles from those picked by the notch by positively overcoming any adherence of the bristle ends to each other.

In FIG-S. 12 and 13 is shown another notch configuration suitable for use with bristles of a more slippery nature, such as those formed of nylon. In this embodiment, a notch 22 is shown to comprise a generally radial trailing edge Wall 22a, 21 bottom wall 22!) extending generally perpendicular to the trailing wall, and a leading edge wall 220 inclined rearwardly from the forward end of bottom wall 221). The junctures of the bottom wall 221) with the trailing wall 22a and with the leading wall 220 may be rounded as at 22d and 226 to provide improved release of the tufts from the notch at the delivery position.

As discussed above, means are associated with the picker disc 1% for loosening or unpacking the bristles in the lower or guide portion 13h of magazine 13 adjacent the periphery of the disc. These means comprise an agitator finger 23 extending along one side of the periphery of disc 16 and movable across the bottom of magazine 13 from a retracted position radially inwardly of the disc periphery (as seen in FIG. 4) to a position upwardly and radially outwardly therefrom. To effect this movement finger 23 is secured to an arm 23a which is swung in a vertical plane by means of a follower arm 23b having a cam follower 23c thereon engaging a suitable star cam 23d fixed on shaft 17. Cam 23d is lobed to effect a swinging of finger 23, through arms 23a and 235, from the retracted position as seen in FIG. 4, to the upwardly disposed position, and back to the retracted position once between successive passages of notches 16a under magazine 13.

To accommodate the finger 23 through the lower portion of movable side wall 13b, a slot 13; may be provided therein. Also in the lower end of movable side wall 13b is a second slot 13g which accommodates passage therethrough of the disc 16 and a second finger 24 carried by arm 23a and spaced outwardly from finger 23. Finger 24 is thus inserted into magazine 13 when the finger member 23 is in the retracted position of FIG. 4, and is withdrawn therefrom when finger member 23 is moved upwardly to beyond the periphery of the disc. Thus, finger 24 functions forcefully to return the bristles agitated or loosened by finger member 23, to adjacent disc 16 when finger member 23 is returned to the retracted position. To assist in the bristle loosening operation, the upper surface 23s of finger member 23 is striated or notched, pro- 2 viding improved reaction against the bristles engaged thereby.

Arms 23;; and 23b are mounted on a common shaft 23) which is journalled in a suitable support block 23g secured to a standard 25. The bristle supply means S is also carried on standard 25 by means of a suitable carrier structure 25a, including slide means 251) and 25's for carrying adjustably walls 13b and 130 respectively. In addition, a pair of journals 25d are fixed to standard 25 for carrying rotatably disc shaft 17.

To pack the bristles longitudinally of themselves in the stock magazine 13 and to adjust them longitudinally of themselves while being carried on the chain means B, paddle mechanism 26 is provided. This mechanism is best seen by reference to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 wherein a paddle blade 26a is seen to be arranged in front of the lower end of magazine 13 to abut the outer ends of the bristles therein. A pair of paddles 26b are arranged adjacent the opposite ends of the bristles on chain means B intermediate the picker means P and the inserting means I. The means for operating the paddles comprises a shaft 26c journalled on suitable blocks 26d on the back of the machine frame F and rockable by a lever means 26:: reciprocated longitudinally by means of a cam device 26f on shaft 17. Paddle 26a is operated from shaft 260 by a lever assembly 26g, and paddle 26b is operated from shaft 260 by a comparable lever assembly 2511 to provide a horizontal reciprocal movement of the paddles in synchronism with the operation of picker means P.

As discussed above conveyor chain means B comprises a plurality of upper chains 18 and lower chains 19. As best seen in FIG. 4, at a point adjacent the delivery end of the tuft retaining plates 29a and 20b (and slightly beyond biased plate 29f when plate 26 is used) the upper and lower chains come together to form a bristle receiving and conveying means on opposite sides of the strip 19. The chains are arranged so that they meet substantially in the horizontal plane of the top of strip so that bristles carried between the chains are carried substantially across the top of the strip. The longitudinal extension of the chains and strip and the direction of movement thereof are substantially tangential to disc 16 at this point. Thus, as notch 16:: moves to beyond plate the tuft of bristles therein is no longer retained therein by retainer plates 20a and 20b and is ejected or discharged from the notch. Because of the tangential relationship of the chains to the disc at this point, the tufts move substantially parallel to the chains during the transfer thereto from the disc. As the tufts are ejected from the disc with a substantial velocity they are thrown against bristles on the conveyor chains of the previously transferred tuft. This throwing action causes the bristles to be distributed evenly onto the conveyor chain substantially continuously with the previously transferred bristles. The resultant distribution of bristles is one of uniform thickness and dispersion. Further, because the tufts are moving substantially parallel to the chains when the bristles thereof are deposited on the chain skewing of the bristles is precluded. Such skewing is a serious disadvantage of the brush making machines now found in the art wherein the bristles are delivered onto the backing strip while moving at an angle to the direction of movement of the strip.

As best seen in FIGS. 1 to 3, the conveyor chain means B and the strip forming means U are driven by a common drive chain 27 which is driven by a driver sprocket 27a. Chain 27, in turn, drives a driven sprocket 27b of the strip forming means U, a driven sprocket 27c associated with the lower chains 19 and a driven sprocket 27d associated with the upper chains 18. More specifically, driven sprocket 27c is fixed on one end of a shaft 28 which is journalled on supports 28a on frame F and to which are fastened suitable drive sprockets 23b for driving the lower chains 19. The opposite ends of the lower chains may be entrained over free-running sprockets 28 rotatably carried on supports 28d. Driven sprocket 27a is secured to one end of a shaft 29 journalled in supports 29a and having suitable sprockets 29b fastened thereto to drive the upper chains 13. The ends of chains 18 are entrained over suitable free-running sprockets 29c rotatably journalled on supports 29:! adjustably carried on frame F to provide automatic slack take-up of the chains.

Also fastened to shaft 29 is a bristle spreading wheel 3%) having a notched periphery 36a arranged to engage the midportion of the bristles carried on the strip bar 10 and agitate them during their passage under the wheel. Wheel 3%} preferably rotates to have its periphery move in the direction of movement of the chains and the diameter of the Wheel is preferably greater than the diameter of the drive sprockets 2%. Thus, the wheel periphery moves at a greater rate of speed than the rate of travel of the bristles past the wheel, thereby providing improved agitating and spreading action.

The bristles 11 are delivered to the inserting means I in a horizontal arrangement overlying bar 10 by the conveyor chain means B, as discussed above. Inserting means I presses the mid-portion of the bristles into the U-shaped strip bar and lays a core wire 12 over the bent mid-portion. For this purpose an inserting or disc wheel 3?. is rotatably mounted in a vertical plane in alignment with strip bar 1!) so that its periphery 31a extends into the space between the legs Illa of the U-shaped bar as formed by means U. The disc periphery 31a is annularly grooved to receive the core wire 12 from a suitable core wire supply mechanism generally designated 32. Such core wire supply devices are well known in the art and require no further description here.

To assist in folding the ends of the bristles upwardly while the mid-portions 11a of the bristles are being inserted into the strip bar by the disc 31, a pair of knurled wheels 33 are carried on a driven shaft 33a which is journalled in suitable supports 33b carried on the machine frame F. These wheels extend one each on opposite sides of the strip bar 10 adjacent disc 31 to engage the underside of the horizontally extending bristles and assist in urging the tufts into an evenly distributed upright position.

While the bristles are retained in the U-shaped strip bar by their natural resiliency subsequent to the insertion therein by disc 31, it is desirable to lock them in place, and for this purpose crimping means C are provided. The crimping means as best seen in FIGS. 1-3 and 20 comprises a pair of crimping rollers 34 extending in a horizontal plane to engage the opposite legs 10a of the strip bar and to constrict them about the bent mid-portion 11a of the bristles and the core wire 12 therein, as seen in FIG. 16. The periphery of rollers 34 may be knurled to provide improved crimping engagement with the sides of the strip bar.

To maintain the wire 12 and the bristles in place as they come from the inserting means I until the crimping rollers effect the locking constriction of bar 10, a retaining plate 311) extends between the disc 31 and the crimping rollers 34. As best seen in FIG. 3 plate 315 extends in alignment with strip bar 10 and the free ends of the bristles 11 extend on opposite sides of the plate as the strip passes to the crimping means. To support the bar as it is delivered fromthe crimping means, a support plate 35 is carried on frame F to extend to the end of the machine. A plurality of suitable guide rollers 35a are mounted on plate 35' to straighten and maintain the proper lateral positioning of the formed brush. In the instant machine the crimping rollers 34 are carried on movable supports 34a, the structure and functioning of which will be described more fully in connection with the description of the means for forming a discontinuously tufted brush.

From the crimping means C the formed brush is moved on plate 35 past trimming means T which acts to trim the upper ends of the bristles. As best seen in FIGS.

1, 2 and 21, trimmer T comprises 'a trimming head 36 adjustably secured to an upright post 36a by means of an arm 3611. Also carried by arm 36b is a drive motor 360 operating the trimming head 36 by means of suitable belts 36d. Post 36a is mounted adjustably on machine frame F by means of a base 36c movably received in a pair of slideways 36 on the frame.

Trimming head 36 comprises a knife 36g carried on a shaft 3612 which is rotated about a horizontal axis by means of belts 36d driving a pulley 361 carried on one end of the shaft. A fixed blade 36 cooperates with moving knife 36g to effect the cutting of the bristles. It has been found that an improved trimming action is obtained by disposing blade 36 and the axis of knife 36g at a small angle to the vertical central plane of the brush. T he length of the knife is preferably correlated with the rate of rotation of the knife and the rate of advance of bar it to permit a substantial number of passes of the knife against each bristle. A11 angle of approximately 15 has been found to provide substantially improved trimming action with a knife approximately inches'in length and with the bar advancing to feet per minute. This structure allows the knife to cut substantially laterally across the upper ends of the bristle while permitting the knife to have a substantial number of cutting engagements with each bristle as it passes the trimming means, whereby a substantially perfectly trimmed brush results.

As discussed above the brush is formed in a continuous strip by the machine, whereas it may be desirable from the standpoint of some users to provide strips of predetermined length. Thus, cutting means K are provided for separating the continuous brush into discrete portions. As best seen in FIGS. 1, 2 and 14 cutting means K comprises a generally vertically extending mounting plate 37 pivotally secured at its lower end to machine frame F by means of a rod 37a secured to the plate 37 and journalled in a pair of bearing supports 37b. The plate 37 is maintained in the substantially vertical position by biasing means comprising a stud 37c passed through the plate to be secured at one end to the frame F and a coil spring 37d coaxially on the stud between the plate 37 and the stud head. Thus the biasing means pivots the plate 37 about rod 37a to urge the upper portion of the plate toward the delivery end of the machine. At the upper end of the plate 37 is mounted a knife mechanism 38 arranged to cut the formed brush by severing the strip bar 10 as desired. The knife mechanism 38 comprises a fixed knife blade 380 secured to the plate 37 by a clamp block 38b. The positioning of. the fixed knife 38a is made adjustable by means of a stud 38c mounted at one side of the block.

A movable knife 38d is slidably carried by the clamp block 33b to have movement alternatively toward and from "ed knife 3812 thereby to cut transversely across strip bar 10 of the formed brush passing therebetween. While any suitable means may be provided for moving the movable knife 38a, in the illustrated embodiment pneumatic means are employed, comprising a piston device 39 having its cylinder 39a secured at one end to a frame 39b secured top plate 37. The piston rod 390 of piston device 39 is secured pivotally at its outer end to one end of each of a pair of lever arms 39d and 39a. The opposite end of lever arm' 39d is pivotally secured at 39f to a block 39g fixed on the lower end of arm 37. Means for adjusting the longitudinal positioning of lever arm 39d coinprise 'a stud 3911 on block 39g adjustab'ly retaining a link 391' which provides the pivotal connection 39f. By this longitudinal positioning of longitudinal lever arm 39d, the effect of the stroke of piston rod 39c relative to lever arm 39d may be controlled.

The other end of lever arm 3% is pivotally secured to a connecting link 39j, which connecting link is pivotallv secured at 39k to a block 39m secured to the mounting plate 38. The connecting link 3% is further pivotally secured at 3911 to a rod 1W0, which rod is in turn pivotally connected to the movable knife 35d. Thus, it may be seen that when piston rod 3% is urged outwardly from cylinder 39a, lever arm 3% acts to pivot link 39 clockwise about connection 391: (as seen in FIG. 14). Clockwise movement of link 39 causes longitudinal movement of rod 390 toward fixed knife 38a thereby urging the movable knife through strip bar 10 extending between the knives. Operation of piston device 39 :to cut the brush strip into the desired lengths may be controlled by suitable means, such as trip 39p responsive to engagement by the end of the strip.

As the strip bar 19 is ordinarily moving continuously longitudinally, it must of necessity advance during the time the cutting means K is acting to sever a portion therefrom. This would tend to reduce the sharpness or cleanness of the cut effected by the knives and would tend to place a relatively low upper limit on the allowable speed of ad vance of the continuous formed brush. A conventional method of solving this problem is to effect an intermittent advance of the formed brush, which again would tend to limit the allowable speed of manufacture and would require considerably more complicated forming mechanism. In the instant machine, however, as mounting plate 3'7 is allowed to pivot about 37a, knives 33a and 38d move substantially with the advancing strip bar 14) during the time of cutting thereby providing an improved sharpand clean cut even at relatively high rates of speed. Spring 37a allows this swinging of the plate 37 readily to accommodate this movement of the knives with the strip bar it? while yet it acts substantially immediately to return the bar and the knives to the proper position for effecting the next subsequent cutting operation. Further, as no take-up strip length is required due to the fact that the strip movement'need not be stopped during the cutting operation, the cutting mechanism may be mounted directly at the end of the machine.

As best seen in FIG. 17 knives 38a and 33d are preferably thick and have a hardness correlated with the characteristics of the material from which strip bar 10 is formed (such as metal) to effect a constriction of the strip bar at the portion, as itlb, engaged by the knives. This constriction closes the cut bar at its ends at least partially across the space between the legs 10a and serves to retain the tufts against inadvertent displacement outwardly from the ends.

As discussed briefly previously, the brush making machine of the instant invention may provide a discontinuously tufted brush strip as well as a continuously tufted one. The two alternative means discussed for providing such discontinuously tufted brush strip comprise means for intermittently operating the picking means P, and means for intermittently preventing delivery of bristles from supply S to the picking means P. To conrol either of such means, means are provided to sense the longitudinal positioning of the strip bar 10 and to provide a signal functionally correlated with such positioning. Illustratively, in FIG. 18, such means are schematically shown to comprise a first, single pole normally closed switch 46 arranged to be contacted and opened by the end lilo of the strip bar It) as it passes from the end of the machine. A second, single poledouble-throw switch 41 is arranged to be contacted by the strip end 10c at a point spaced from switch 41 a distance equal to the length of the desired bristle omission in the formed brush. Switch 41 is provided with a first movably closed contact 41a connected in series with switch 40 and arranged to be contacted by the movable switch element 411) to form, when switch 41 is closed, a completed circuit between a pair of control leads 42a and 42b. A second contact lie in switch 41 is arranged to be contacted by switch element 41b, when the element is thrown from contact with 41a, to complete directly the circuit between leads 42a and 42b.

, Control leads 42a and 4219 may be connected to the switch device controlling a drive motor 43 powering the picker disc 16.

i it

Thus, when strip end 190 opens switch 40 the circuit through the control leads is broken and the drive motor 43 is stopped, thereby discontinuing delivery of bristles to the strip bar by the picker disc 16. As the strip bar continues to move longitudinally end ltic thereof next contacts switch 41 and throws movable element 411] into contact with contact 410 whereby the circuit between leads 42a and 42b is reestablished. This effects reenergization of drive motor 43 and causes the picker disc 16 to resume delivery of tufts to the strip bar. When the cut section of the brush is removed from the machine, both switches automatically return to the position of FIG. 18 wherein the circuit between leads 42a and 42b is maintained. This operation may then be repeated to form successive discontinuations in the tufting of the brush as desired. It should be noted that the length of the discontinuations may be readily adjusted by positioning the switches as desired. The positioning of switches is, of course, to be coordinated with the cutting means control 39 where the brushes are cut into discrete discontinuously tufted elements.

Alternatively the control leads 42a and 42b may be connected to a solenoid means 44, as seen in FIG. 19.

Solenoid means 44 comprises a coil portion 44:: fixedly retained on the standard 25, and a plunger portion 44b longitudinally movable by energization of coil 44a. Associated with plun er portion 44b is a lost motion connector 44c arranged to engage a pin 44d on the arm 23a which carries agitator finger 23. Thus, when the plunger 44:) is moved to the right (FIG. 19) as by the deenergization of thecoil 44a, arm 23a is pivoted clockwise and finger 23 is moved upwardly from disc 16 and retained across the bottom of the tuft supply magazine 13.

It should be noted that such operation of arm 23a causes cam follower arm 23b to move away from cam 23d. Thus, although cam 23d continues to rotate it has no effect on the positioning of finger 23. Successive energization and deenergization of solenoid device 44 iseffected by the switching of switches and 41 as an incident to the movement of strip bar 10b relative thereto, as described above in connection with the intermittent operation of drive motor 43. Thus finger 23 may be uti- I lized to serve as a means for causing desired discontinuous tufting of the formed brush strip.

Referring to FIGS. 1, 2 and 20, crimping rollers 34 are movable laterally of the strip bar It) by means of adjustment of the support 34a on which they are mounted. A prime purpose of such adjustable mounting is to permit a variation in the degree of constriction of the strip bar, depending on the presence or absence of bristles in the portion of the bar engaged by the rollers. Thus, where no bristles are inserted, it is desirable to constrict the bar more fully and closely juxtapose the legs 10a. Such increased constriction is effected by moving the rollers more closely together. The means for effecting this movement comprises a piston device 34b having a cylinder 34c pivotally secured by a suitable bracket 34c to machine frame F. A piston rod 34d extends from the cylinder to have a pivotal connection with a lever 342 secured to an upstanding post 34 pivotally mounted on the machine frame F and on which is eccentrically mounted a circular cam 34g. Cam 34g is received within an opening 34h in one of a pair of base plates 34i carrying supports 34a, and bears against the walls of the opening to move the base plate transversely of the machine. Suitable guides 34f are provided on frame F for guiding the base plate in this movement. A similar cam 34m is provided for moving the other base plate 3411 (as best seen in FIG. 20) and is operated by means of a connecting rod 34k connected to lever 34c. The operation of piston device 345 causes the base plates 34: and 3422 and the rollers 34a carried thereon to move more closely together when rod 34d is urged outwardly from cylinder 34c and to move away from each other when the piston rod is moved into the cylinder. Operation of piston device 34b is controlled by a solenoid operated valve 340 which valve is controlled by a pressure sensitive switch 34p. Switch 34;) is mounted adjacent the point of contact of the crimping rollers with the strip bar and senses the absence and presence of bristles in the strip bar as it moves between the rollers. Thus, when a tufted portion of the brush is passing between the crimping rollers, the switch is maintained open and the piston device is arranged with rod 34d inserted into piston cylinder 34c whereby the crimping rollers are spaced apart for the limited constriction suitable for retaining the tufts in the strip bar. When a portion of the brush passes the crimping rollers wherein no bristles are present, the switch closes, thereby actuating the piston device through valve 340 to move piston rod 34d outwardly and cause the crimping rollers 34 to move more closely together. Thus, the untufted portion of the strip bar is more fully constricted. When the next group of tufts reaches switch 34p the switch is again opened to cause valve 340 to operate the piston device to reinsert rod 34d into cylinder 34c and dispose the crimping rollers in their limited con- 'stricting position.

As discussed briefly above, drive means D may comprise several units functionally correlated to operate the machine as a unit. Drive chain 27 and certain sprockets associated therewith have been described briefly previously in connection with the description of strip forming means U and conveyor chain means C. Sprocket 27a which provides the power to chain 27, may be driven by a motor drive 45 through a suitable drive shaft 45a. To shaft 45a is also fastened a suitable sprocket (not shown) which drives a chain 45b powering a sprocket 45c fastened to a shaft 45d which operates crimping means C. Motor drive 45 is preferably of an adjustable speed type, having its speed controllable by means of a wheel 45e mounted on the front of the machine frame. Such motor drives are well known in the art and require no further description here. Motor 43, as discussed above, provides the power for picking means P. The power supply from motor 43 is preferably variable in speed and illustratively comprises adjustable pulleys 46 controlled by a speed crank 46a accessible from the front of the machine. The power from the pulleys 46 is transmitted to picking means P by means of achain 46b driven from a speed reducing unit 46c associated with the drive pulleys 46. The drive on trimming means T as discussed above may be provided through a separate motor 360. Thus, it may be seen that the various elements of the machine may be adjustably controlled to operate at a rate correlated with the other elements, in a simple manner.

As the speed of the picker disc 16 is independently adjustable relative to the rate of advance of the strip 10, a variation in the density or thickness of bristles in the formed brush is readily obtainable. Thus, the thickness may be varied by changing the speed of the picker disc while leaving the rate of advance of the strip constant, or changing the rate of strip advance while leaving the disc speed constant, or suitably varying each concurrently. Further, by substituting a picker disc having a different notch configuration adapted to pick a different number of bristles in each tuft, a diflferent density of brush may be obtained at the same rate of speed of the disc and strip advance.

While certain embodiments of our invention have been shown and described,'it is to be understood that it is capable of many modifications. Changes, therefore, in the construction and arrangement may be made without departingfrom the spirit and scope of the invention as disclosed in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. Means for delivering a bristle supply to a unidirectionally moving bristle picker, comprising a first finger periodically movable between the bristle supply and the picker immediately adjacent the picker and having a portion of its movement opposed to and transverse to the direction of movement of the picker thereby to engage and loosen the bristles, and a second finger periodically 13 insertable into the tuft supply and movable therein toward the picker to urge the loosened tufts into operable association with the picker.

2. In a brush making machine, bristle supplying means comprising: a housing having a bristle delivery open end and at least one open wall portion extending away from said end; first bristle engaging means removably extending into said housing through an open wall portion; weighted means for urging said first engaging means toward said end; a second bristle engaging means removably extending into said housing through an open Wall portion; and weighted means for urging said second engaging means toward said end, said bristle engaging means being operable independently of each other to permit repositioning either one above the other while the other is maintained extending into the housing.

3. In a brush making machine, bristle supplying means comprising: a vertically elongated housing having a tuft delivery open bottom and at least one open wall portion extending upwardly from said bottom; first bristle engaging means removably extending into said housing through an open wall portion and movable longitudinally through the housing; weight operated means for urging said first engaging means toward said bottom; a second bristle engaging means removably extending into said housing through an open wall portion and movable longitudinally through the housing; weight operated means for urging said second bristle engaging means toward said bottom, said bristle engaging means being operable independently of each other to permit repositioning either one above the other while the other is maintained extending into the housing; and a third bristle engaging means generally under said bottom and movable thereacross for unpacking bristles urged downwardly to said bottom by said first and second engaging means.

4. Means for making a discontinuously tufted strip brush, comprising: a conveyor device for moving a strip continuously longitudinally; mechanism for securing bristles to the strip during such movement; a continuously operating disc for delivering bristles to said mechanism from a supply magazine; and means intermittently disposed across said magazine interrupting delivery of tufts therefrom to the bristle delivering disc.

5. Means for making a discontinuously tufted strip brush, comprising: a conveyor device for moving a strip continuously longitudinally; mechanism for securing bristles to the strip during such movement; delivery means for delivering bristles to said mechanism; and operating means sensing accurately the position of the end of the strip and in response thereto operating said delivery means to effect intermittent delivery of bristles.

6. Means for making a discontinuously tufted strip brush, comprising: a conveyor device for moving a strip continuously longitudinally; mechanism arranged to secure bristles to the strip during such movement and to alter the strip to a configuration proper when no tufts are secured thereto; delivery means for delivering bristles to said mechanism; means responsive to the longitudinal disposition of said strip efiecting intermittent actuation of said delivery means; and means responsive to a discontinuation of bristles secured to the strip effecting actuation of said mechanism to alter the strip to said configuration.

7. In a brush making machine, means for trimming the bristles of a formed brush strip, comprising: means for moving a brush strip longitudinally with the bristles thereof extending to a trimming location; and cutting mechanism having a cutter acting on the bristles at said trimming location, said cutter rotating about an axis normal to the extent of the individual bristles and slight- 1y disaligned with the direction of longitudinal movement of the strip to have a vectorial component of its bristle cutting movement parallel to the longitudinal extent of the brush strip, the cutter further having a longitudinal length relative to the strip correlated with its rate of rotation whereby each bristle of the brush strip is acted upon by the cutter a substantial number of times during its movement through said trimming location.

8. The means for trimming bristles of claim 7 wherein said axis is at an angle of approximately 15 relative to the direction of strip movement.

9. A bristle picker bar for use in a brush making machine having a bristle delivering device, comprising a disc unidirectionally rotatable adjacent the delivering device and provided with a peripheral notch, said notch having a radial trailing wall and'a forwardly inclined leading wall whereby the notch widens radially outwardly to permit bristles to enter the notch by movement thereinto over the leading wall, said leading wall being defined by a first planar portion parallel to the axis of rotation of the disc and intersecting the plane of the trailing wall at a slight angle, and a portion bevelled symmetrically about the central plane of the disc in the direction of rotation from the first planar portion with the disc periphery to permit bristles extending through the notch transversely of the central plane to yield about the portion in the central plane and lie radially within the cylinder of revolution defined by the radially outer end of the trailing wall.

10. In a brush making machine delivering a continuous strip brush, having a base of U-shaped cross-section from which brush bristles extend, to an outfeed location by continuously longitudinally advancing the brush thereto, means for separating the continuous brush into discrete portions, comprising: cutting means at the outfeed location having a knife, said knife being thick and harder than the brush base thereby to cause the base to be constricted transversely at the cut end precluding loss of bristles longitudinally of the cut end; and means for operating the knife to pass transversely through the brush U-shaped base from one leg thereof to the other While moving the knife with the brush in the direction of advancement thereof.

11. In a brush making machine, means for delivering bristles in a substantially uniform arrangement to a bristle working means, comprising: a pair of horizontally spaced, conveyor chains arranged to extend parallel to each other in a substantially horizontal plane; means for concurrently driving the chains; means for depositing bristles on said chains at a delivery point to extend transversely of the direction of movement thereof from one chain to the other; and a bristle spreading wheel having a periphery arranged to engage the midportion of the bristles between said chains, said wheel being disposed at a distance from the delivery point in the direction of travel of the bristles on the chains, said Wheel further being driven to have a peripheral velocity different from the velocity of movement of the chains thereby to cause said bristles to be agitated and spread while being carried on said chains.

12. In a brush making machine, means for delivering bristles in a substantially uniform arrangement to a bristle Working means, comprising: a pair of horizontally spaced, conveyor chains arranged to move parallel to each other in a substantially horizontal plane; means for depositing bristles on said chains to extend transversely of the direction of movement thereof from one chain to the other; a bristle spreading wheel extending in a vertical plane midway between said chains and having a periphery arranged to engage the midportion of the bristles; and means driving said Wheel to have a peripheral movement in the direction of the chain movement at the point of contact with the bristles and to have a peripheral velocity greater than the velocity of movement of the chains thereby to cause said bristles to be agitated and spread while being carried on said chains.

13. The bristle supplying means of claim 2 wherein one of said bristle engaging means comprises a T-shaped element including a first arm portion adapted to extend into the housing, a second opposed arm portion, a stem portion, and means for pivotally carrying the stem portion for selectively disposing the first arm portion in the housing and outwardly thereof.

ReferencesCited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 5/10 Busald 83-316 X 8/24 Nielsen 300-7 2/29 Van Veen 300-2 12/31 Cave 300-2 1 Thacher 300-2 1 5 11/32 Lipps 300-2' 8/44 Cave 300-7 6/50 First 300-2 8/52 Le Febvre et a1 300-2 3/58 Benyak 300-7 FOREIGN PATENTS 11/11 Great Britain.

0 CHARLES A. WILLMUTH, Primary Examiner.

WALTER A. SCHEEL, SIDNEY JAMES, Examiners. 

4. MEANS FOR MAKING A DISCONTINUOUSLY TUFTED STRIP BRUSH, COMPRISING: A CONVEYOR DEVICE FOR MOVING A STRIP CONTINUOUSLY LONGITUDINALLY; MECHANISM FOR SECURING BRISTLES TO THE STRIP DUREING SUCH MOVEMENT; A CONTINUOUSLY OPERATING DISC FOR DELIVERING BRISTLES TO SAID MECHANISM FROM A SUPPLY MAGAZINE; AND MEANS INTERMITTENTLY DISPOSED ACROSS SAID MAGAZINE INTERRUPTING DELIVERY OF TUFTS THEREFROM TO THE BRISTLE DELIVERING DISC. 